Organizational System for Personal Effects

ABSTRACT

An organizational system including an outer bag body and a rigid storage basket configured to fit within the outer bag body. The outer bag body may be styled as a conventional purse, etc. The storage basket preferably includes multiple individual storage compartments arranged adjacent one another with a respective open end of each storage compartment arranged adjacent one another so that all individual storage compartments are readily accessible from an opening at the top of the purse/bag when the basket is positioned within the bag body. Optionally, the storage basket is readily removable from the purse so that it may be placed on a kitchen countertop, etc. to provide organization to the basket&#39;s contents without the need for any support from a bag body. Optionally, the organizational system includes one or more interchangeable bag bodies configured to fit the same storage basket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/279,187, filed Apr. 10, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/669,441, filed Apr. 8, 2005, theentire disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to purses, pocketbooks, diaperbags and other carryall bags, and more particularly to an organizationalsystem for organizing and managing items carried of one or more suchbags.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

As used herein, a “carryall bag” may have any one of many differentforms, such as a purse, pocketbook, diaper bag, briefcase, duffle bag,tote bag, etc. By their very nature, carryall bags are meant to carry alarge number of miscellaneous items, any of which may be needed at agiven time. In the example of a purse, carried items may includepersonal effects such as a checkbook, glasses, sunglasses, contact case,calling cards, cigarettes, cigarette lighter, pen, pills, lipstick,raincoat, tissues, charge cards, pictures, wallet, key rings, cosmetics,toothbrush, hair brush, hair spray, soap, sunscreen, hand lotion,chewing gum, candy and a folding umbrella.

Many purses include only one main compartment into which most or all ofthese items are placed. Accordingly, all carried items becomeintermingled in a loose, free-form collection at the bottom of the pursecompartment. It is therefore difficult to find a particular item, andsearching for the desired item becomes an exercise in rooting throughthe collection of items, removing items from the purse, etc.

Some purses (or other carryall bags) have been provided with individualpockets internal to or external to the main compartment. Such pocketsare typically integral to the purse structure, e.g. are sewn into alining, etc. Many such examples are known in the art.

Continuing with the example of purses, it is common that a particularwoman will own and use several different purses generally concurrently,each purse being particularly suitable to a different one of severaloccasions. For example, one purse may be particularly well suited for atrip to the grocery store while another is particularly well suited to ablack-tie dinner affair. In this case, the purses' owner mustindividually remove all of the items from one purse and transfer them toanother. To alleviate this problem, there have been invented variouspurse inserts. These inserts allow for transfer of all items from onepurse to the other by simply transferring the insert. These purseinserts vary in structure and include a pocket having several verticallystacked partitions and flexible fabric inserts that have numerousspecialized pockets, snaps and flaps. Examples of these inserts areshown by Ody in U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,459, Wilson in U.S. Pat. No.2,893,457, Holden in U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,312, and Smith in U.S. Pat. No.1,999,669.

A major problem with such purse inserts is that the structures definingthe individual pockets and compartments are not rigid and/orself-supporting. Rather, they are made of flexible fabric, cloth and/orother supple materials and/or depend upon the structure of the purseitself for structural support. This prevents the insert from beingusable in a practical manner apart from its use in conjunction with thepurse. Further, prior art arrangements fail to provide an array ofside-by-side open compartments, each of which is readily accessible froman opening at the top of the purse/bag. Further still, the various priorart arrangements fail to provide for various different combinations ofindividual storage compartments to allow one combination of compartmentsto be used with one purse (e.g. the grocery shopping purse) and anothercombination of compartments to be used with another purse (e.g. thedinner affair purse). For example, a plurality of discrete compartmentsmay be provided that are configured to be selectively interconnected anddisconnected in modular fashion to provide different combinations ofindividual storage compartments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an organizational system for carryallbags, such as purses. The organizational system includes an outer bagbody and a rigid storage basket configured to fit within the outer bagbody. The outer bag body may have any suitable structure, such as aconventional purse structure that includes a shoulder strap and azipper-closable top. The storage basket preferably includes multipleindividual storage compartments arranged adjacent one another with arespective open end of each storage compartment arranged adjacent oneanother so that all individual storage compartments are readilyaccessible from an opening at the top of the purse/bag when the basketis positioned within the bag body. Any desired configuration ofcompartments, and combinations of compartments, may be provided. Apurse, carry-all bag, etc. including an exemplary rigid storage basketprovides readily accessible, plainly visible, open-top,compartmentalized storage for personal effects.

In one embodiment, the rigid storage basket 50 is fixedly attached tothe bag body 10 so as not to be readily removable therefrom. In such anembodiment, the storage basket is intended to be used with only a singlebag body, namely the attached bag body. In this manner, the storagebasket acts primarily as a divider, to define compartments for use inseparating, organizing and containing one's personal effects.

In another embodiment, the rigid storage basket is readily removablefrom the outer bag body and is self-supporting such that the basket maybe removed from the purse and placed upright on a kitchen countertop,table, vanity, etc. to provide organization to the basket's contentswithout the need for any support from a bag body. Optionally, theorganizational system includes one or more interchangeable bag bodies,and one or more interchangeable storage baskets, so that a singlestorage basket may be carried within one of several different bagbodies, and/or a single bag body may carry any one of several differentstorage baskets. Accordingly, for example, a single storage basketstoring a variety of personal effects may be moved from one purse (e.g.the grocery shopping purse) and another combination of compartments tobe used with another purse (e.g. the black tie affair purse).

Optionally, the organizational system further includes a receptacle thatdefines a socket configured to receive a removable storage basket. Forexample, the receptacle may be retained on a countertop, etc. and thestorage basket may be moved from a purse to the receptacle while thepurse's owner is at home so that ready access may be had to personaleffects without the burden of searching in a purse, and yet all suchpersonal effects may be easily moved to a bag body when the owner wishesto leave the home. The receptacle may be configured to support thestorage basket in an embodiment in which the storage basket is notsufficiently self-supporting.

In either a removable or non-removable embodiment, the storage basketmay include multiple removable liners, such as a rigid plastic trays,each being positionable within one of its individual storagecompartments. In one embodiment, the liners and storage baskets are ofan interchangeable design. In this manner, personal effects are placedin the individual liners, and each liner with its personal effectscontents may be individually removed from one purse/basket (e.g. thegrocery shopping purse) to another purse or storage basket (e.g. thedinner affair purse or the counter top mounting receptacle basket) toprovide for various different combinations of individual storagecompartments to allow various combinations of individual liners/storagecompartments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by way of example withreference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary purse-style carryall bag body foruse in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bag body of FIG. 1, shown open and housingtherein an exemplary storage basket in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2A is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the storage basketof FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the exemplary storage basket of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4-6 are top views of the bag body and storage basket of FIG. 2,showing compatibility of the storage basket with another bag body and amounting receptacle;

FIGS. 7-9 are side views of FIGS. 4-6;

FIGS. 10-12 are top views of the bag body, storage basket and mountingreceptacle of FIGS. 4-6, further illustrating individual removableliners and the interchangeability of same;

FIG. 13 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of a bag body inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the bag body of FIG. 13 and anexemplary storage basket for removable insertion therein; and

FIG. 15 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the organizationalsystem of FIG. 14 in which the storage basket is positioned in and fixedto the bag body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides an organizational system for carryallbags. The organizational system includes an outer bag body 10 and arigid storage basket 50 configured to fit within the outer bag body 10,as best shown in FIGS. 1-3. For illustrative purposes, reference is madeherein to the embodiments shown in the drawings, in the context of apurse-type carryall bag. It should be understood that the presentinvention is equally applicable to other types of carryall bags, andthat the actual size, dimensions, configurations and relativepositioning of the various components of the organizational system willvary according to the size, shape and functions desired in anyparticular usage.

The outer bag body may have any suitable structure, such as aconventional purse structure. FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplarypurse-style carryall bag body 10 for use in accordance with the presentinvention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary bag body 10 isconventional in that it includes a base portion 12 defining an interiorspace 14 that is accessible through a bag opening 16 toward a top of thebag body. The interior space 14 is dimensioned to receive the storagebasket 50 (FIG. 3), as best shown in FIG. 2.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary purse bag body 10includes a cover/flap 18 for covering the opening 16. The cover/flap 18is selectively securable by a zipper closure 20. As will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art, other bag designs include an opening, whichmay be closable by a zipper, snaps, etc., with or without such acover/flap. The exemplary bag further includes a conventional strap 22,as best shown in FIG. 1, the strap being omitted for illustrativeclarity in FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that the straps may beprovided as shoulder straps, carrying handles, or for decorativepurposes, as known in the art.

The base portion 12 and cover/flap 18 may be constructed of any suitablematerials, particular conventional bag and/or purse materials such asleather, cotton, polyester, nylon, etc. that are flexible and notself-supporting. Accordingly, the bag body's materials may be selectedfor durability, washability and aesthetic appeal, without regard to aneed for structural rigidity.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bag body 10 of FIG. 1, shown open andhousing therein an exemplary storage basket 50. FIG. 3 is a side view ofthe exemplary storage basket 50. The storage basket 50 is constructed ofa rigid material such that it is structurally self supporting, so thatit will not collapse or deform under its own weight, so as to maintainthe storage basket's compartments in a defined open, accessibleorientation. For example, a rigid plastic and a semi-rigidself-supporting manually flexible plastic (collectively referred to as“rigid”) have been found suitable for this purpose. The storage basket50 defines one or more individual storage compartments 52 a, 52 b, 52 c,52 d, 52 e, 52 f, 52 g, 52 h. Each storage compartment is essentially inthe form of a cup or tray, in that it is substantially closed at abottom end, has rigid sidewalls, and is open at its top end, such thatit is capable of receiving and retaining personal effects of the typecarried in a purse or bag. The compartments of a single storage basketneed not be uniform in size or shape. Optionally, the storage basket 50is made up of separate rigid-walled compartments, each having a bottomwall, top wall and open end, that have a modular, selectivelyinterconnectable/disconnectable design to form storage baskets havingvarious storage compartment configurations. Such individual compartmentsmay be provided with complementary pins and sockets for the purpose,much like some conventional dishwasher utensil baskets. Preferably, thestorage basket 50 is designed to occupy substantially all of theinterior space, i.e., with little or no space between the storage basketand or storage inner surface of the bag body.

The individual compartments are arranged adjacent one another with arespective open end 54 a, 54 b, 52 c, 54 d, 54 e, 54 f, 54 g, 54 h ofeach storage compartment arranged adjacent one another, preferably in asubstantially planar array, so that all individual storage compartmentsare positioned with their respective open ends readily manuallyaccessible from an opening 16 at the top of the purse/bag body 10 whenthe storage basket 50 is positioned within the bag body 10, as bestshown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The storage basket 50 preferably includes a handle for carrying it apartfrom the bag body 10. The handle may have any suitable configuration. Inthe exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the handle includes anintegral fin 56 defining an opening 58 therethrough to provide amanually graspable handle. Alternatively, a flexible strap or rigidgenerally U-shaped handle may be attached at each end to opposite sidesof the storage basket 50.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the storage basket 50 is constructed to berigid and structurally self-supporting, such that the storage basket 50may be removed from the bag body 10 and placed on a kitchen countertop,table, vanity, etc. while maintaining both its structural integrity andits organizational of the storage basket's contents without the need forany support from a bag body 10. Further, the storage basket 50 isconfigured with a relatively broad base to enable it to stand alone inan upright orientation and in a stable manner, without the need foradditional support. By way of example, the storage basket 50 ispreferably constructed of a rigid plastic material for this purpose,e.g. by injection molding to produce a unitary body. Optionally, thesurfaces of the storage basket are completely solid, and the material isopaque, such that contents of the individual storage compartments can bedetermined only by looking through the open tops of the individualstorage compartments.

In one embodiment, there are multiple individual compartments with thatare identical in size, shape and/or configuration, such that array ofidentical compartments is provided. Optionally, a plurality, but notall, of adjacent compartments have identical sizes, shapes andconfigurations. Optionally, all compartments have identical sizes,shapes and configurations. Optionally, the storage basket's side wall issubstantially perpendicular to the bottom wall, and each storagecompartment defines a volume that is substantially cuboid orparallelepiped in shape.

FIGS. 4 and 7 are top and side views, respectively, of the bag body 10and storage basket 50 of FIG. 2, with the cover/flap 18 omitted forillustrative clarity. FIGS. 5 and 8 are top and side views,respectively, of another, different bag body 10A. For example, bag body10 may be a bag body of a woman's everyday purse (e.g., imprintednylon), whereas bag body 10A may be a bag body of a woman's formalaffair purse (e.g., patent leather). It should be noted that theindividual bag bodies may be nearly identical with the exception ofoverall aesthetic appearance, or may be very dissimilar in that they bagbodies are of entirely different designs. In either event, the formalbag body 10A is similar everyday purse bag body 10 in that it also has abase portion 12A defining an interior space 14A. Further, both bagbodies are similar in that they are both sized to receive the storagebasket 50, and in that the interior space 14A is accessible through abag opening 16A toward a top of the bag body. Accordingly, the bagbodies 10, 10A are compatible and are both interchangeable with respectto the storage basket 50. Thus the storage basket, and all of itspersonal effects contents, may be moved from one bag body 10 to anotherbag body 10A easily and efficiently, while retaining the organization ofthe personal effects in the storage basket.

Accordingly, the organizational system may includes one or moreinterchangeable bag bodies, and one or more interchangeable storagebaskets, so that a single storage basket may be carried within one ofseveral different bag bodies, and/or a single bag body may carry any oneof several different storage baskets.

Optionally, the organizational system further includes a receptacle 60that defines a socket dimensioned and configured to receive the storagebasket 50. FIGS. 6 and 9 are side and top views, respectively, of anexemplary receptacle 60. For example, the receptacle 60 may include oneor more sidewalls 62 a, 62 b, 62 c, 62 d defining a closed loop and/ortray defining a socket 64 dimensioned to receive the storage basket 50.The receptacle 60 may include rubber or other slip-resistant feet 66 tohelp retain the receptacle 60 in a stable position on a horizontalsurface, and to constrain movement and prevent tipping of any basket 50positioned therein.

For example, the receptacle 60 may be retained on a kitchen countertopand the storage basket 50 may be moved from a purse (see bag 10, FIG. 7)to the receptacle 60 (FIG. 9) while the purse's owner is at home so thateasy access may be had to the personal effects that were formerlycarried within the purse/bag body 10, and that remain in the storagebasket 50. Notably, such access may be had without the burden of rootingin a purse, and yet all such personal effects may be easily returned toa bag body 10, 10A when the owner wishes to leave the home, etc. In oneembodiment, the receptacle 60 may be configured to support the storagebasket 50 in an embodiment in which the storage basket 50 is notconstructed of a rigid material and/or is not sufficientlyself-supporting.

As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the organizational system optionally furtherincludes multiple removable compartment liners 70 a, 70 b, 70 c, 70 d,70 e, 70 f, 70 g, 70 h, 70 i, 70 j, 70 k, 70 l, 70 m, 70 n, 70 o, 70 p,etc. This is particularly advantageous when the organizational systemincludes more than one storage basket or receptacle 60. Each linergenerally has the form of a rigid plastic tray that is dimensionedand/or contoured to be positionable within one of the storage basket'sindividual storage compartments. Accordingly, each compartment and lineracts like a pair of nested cups. Thus, the liners and storage basketsare of a compatible design, such that each liner will fit within atleast one storage compartment of more than one storage basket. In suchan embodiment, liners are positioned within the individual storagecompartments of the storage baskets 50, 50 a, 50 b, before personaleffects are placed therein. Groups of personal effects are designated bythe letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O and P in FIGS.10-12.

Accordingly, groups of personal effects can be moved among multiple bagbodies on a per-compartment basis, rather than on the per-basket basisdiscussed above with reference to FIGS. 4-9. Accordingly, personaleffects in groups D and H can be moved from one storage basket 50/bagbody 10 to another storage basket 50 a/bag body 10A, by moving only thecorresponding liners 70 d, 70 h, while the storage basket 50 andremaining groups of personal effects A, B, C, E, F and G remain in bagbody 10, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Thus, each liner with itsrespective personal effects contents may be individually removed fromone purse/basket (e.g. the grocery shopping purse) to anotherpurse/basket (e.g. the black tie affair purse or the counter topmounting receptacle basket) to provide for various differentcombinations of individual storage compartments. This is convenient, forexample, for moving cosmetics from an everyday purse to a dinner affairpurse, while leaving items non-essential to the dinner affair, such assunglasses, in the everyday purse.

In another embodiment, the overall components of the bag body 10 andstorage basket 50 are similar to those described above, e.g., as shownin FIGS. 1-3, but the storage basket 50 is fixedly attached to the bagbody 10 so as not to be readily removable therefrom. See FIG. 15. Forexample, the storage basket 50 may be attached to the bag body 10 bystitches, adhesive, ultrasonic welding, melting/fusing, etc., as shownat 11 in FIG. 15. In such an embodiment, the storage basket is intendedto be used with only a single bag body 10, namely the attached bag body10. In this manner, the storage basket acts primarily as a divider, todefine compartments for use in separating, organizing and containingone's personal effects. Such a storage basket and bag body arenevertheless capable of storing and organizing personal effects in amanner similar to that described above. As a complement to such acombination bag body 10 and storage basket 50, an organizer may beprovided that is essentially a storage basket, which may have a size andconfiguration different from the storage basket attached to the bagbody, that is attached and/or integral with a mounting receptacle (seeFIG. 9), such that the organizer is essentially a multi-compartmentstorage basket similar to that of the combination, but also includes abase receptacle that is sufficiently large and/or heavy so as to beimpractical for placement within the bag body, and/or within a similarlysized bag, and or within a comparable type of bag. For example, a basethat is approximately 8-10 inches wide and approximately 12-16 incheslong has been found suitable for this purpose in that is appropriatelysized for countertop/tabletop use, yet would unlikely fit within acommonly sized purse. In this manner, it is unlikely that a person coulduse the organizer described above in conjunction with any conventionalbag that is not part of the organizational system described herein.Thus, it is unlikely that a single organizer could be used as asubstitute for a storage basket to achieve a result similar to thatprovided by the present invention.

In an alternative embodiment, the rigid storage basket is replaced by arigid storage basket member 50 that is configured without a bottom walland includes only rigid side walls. See FIG. 2A. In such an embodiment,the bag body cooperates with the storage basket member 50 to defineindividual compartments for retaining personal effects. Optionally, therigid side walls of each individual compartment is discontinuous, asshown in the alternative embodiment of FIG. 2A, and the bag bodycooperates with the storage basket member 50 to retain personal effects.In such an embodiment, the rigid side walls of the individualcompartments are formed by a rigid substantially-planar,longitudinally-extending rib member 56, and a plurality of rigidsubstantially-planar, transversely-extending rib members 57, each ribmember having ends abutting the bag body and thereby cooperating withthe bag body to define bottom and side walls of the individualcompartments for retaining personal effects. These embodiments arepreferred in embodiments of the organizational system in which thestorage basket member is fixed to the bag body, although they are alsosuitable for embodiments in which the storage basket member is removablefrom the bag body.

In one embodiment similar to that described in the preceding paragraph,the organizational system includes liners similar to those discussedabove with reference to FIGS. 10-11. Accordingly, the individual liners70 a, etc. may be used to transfer personal effects stored in individualcompartments of a storage basket, even when the storage basket is fixedwithin a bag body, and yet the individual liners will be unsatisfactoryfor organizational purposes if an attempt is made to use them other thanin conjunction with a storage basket of the present invention, whetherthe storage basket is integral with a bag body 10 or an organizer, etc.This promotes use of the organizational system as a whole.

An organizational system in accordance with the present invention may besold in kit form, e.g. in a bundle or common package, and may includeany combination of one or more of each of the following items: bag body,storage basket, compartment liner, mounting receptacle.

It is noted that the embodiment(s) described herein in detail forexemplary purposes is of course subject to many different variations instructure, design, application and methodology. Because many varying anddifferent embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventiveconcept(s) herein taught, and because many modifications may be made inthe embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptiverequirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details hereinare to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. A woman's purse comprising: a bag body having a closed end and anopen end, said bag body defining an interior space accessible via saidopen end, said bag body being constructed of a flexible material; arigid, self-supporting storage basket, said storage basket beingpositioned within the interior space and fixedly attached to saidflexible material of said bag body, said rigid storage basket havingrigid walls cooperating to define a plurality of individual storagecompartments disposed adjacent one another in a substantially planararray comprising at least two storage compartments in each of twoorthogonal directions, each of said plurality of individual storagecompartments having a respective open end manually accessible via saidopen end of said bag body.
 2. The woman's purse of claim 1, wherein saidstorage basket is formed as a rigid unitary body.
 3. The woman's purseof claim 1, wherein said flexible material is selected from the groupconsisting of leather, cotton, polyester and nylon.
 4. The woman's purseof claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of individual storagecompartments are identical in size and shape.
 5. The woman's purse ofclaim 4, wherein all of said plurality of individual storagecompartments are identical in size and shape.
 6. The woman's purse ofclaim 1, further comprising: a plurality of removable liners, each ofsaid plurality of removable liners being dimensioned to be removablyreceived within a respective one of said plurality of individual storagecompartments.
 7. The woman's purse of claim 1, wherein each of saidplurality of individual storage compartments defines a volumesubstantially parallelepiped in shape.
 8. A woman's purse comprising: abag body having a closed end and an open end, said bag body defining aninterior space accessible via said open end, said bag body beingconstructed of a flexible material; a rigid, self-supporting storagebasket formed as a rigid unitary body, said storage basket beingpositioned within the interior space and fixedly attached to saidflexible material of said bag body, said rigid storage basket havingrigid walls cooperating to define a plurality of individual storagecompartments disposed adjacent one another in a substantially planararray comprising at least two storage compartments in each of twoorthogonal directions, each of said plurality of individual storagecompartments defining a volume substantially parallelepiped in shape, atleast two of said plurality of individual storage compartments beingidentical in size and shape, each of said plurality of individualstorage compartments having a respective open end manually accessiblevia said open end of said bag body.
 9. The woman's purse of claim 8,wherein said flexible material is selected from the group consisting ofleather, cotton, polyester and nylon.
 10. The woman's purse of claim 8,further comprising: a plurality of removable liners, each of saidplurality of removable liners being dimensioned to be removably receivedwithin a respective one of said plurality of individual storagecompartments.
 11. The woman's purse of claim 8, wherein all of saidplurality of individual storage compartments are identical in size andshape.